I’ve been going to Mama’s Royal Cafe around the corner from my apartment for over 10 years now, and have eyed their annual display of paper napkin art contest winners curiously, thinking, “there’s gotta be something I can do with paper napkins that’s not drawing or painting”.

This year my painter friend Alice and I took on the challenge. After a mildly compulsive napkin-shopping binge at Ikea (they had about 30 different paper napkin options in a variety of sizes, patterns and colors) we emerged with 10 packages. I took home most of the haul and created these items, motivated by the challenge and the possibility of $400 in prize winnings. Neither of my entries got in the top 3, but I did receive an honorable mention. C’est la vie, I’ll be trying again next year.